Ball bearings can be used in multiple fields of application in order to provide a mechanical connection of the “swivel” or “pivot” type between two parts. Such ball bearings generally consist of an inner race, intended to be secured to a first part, an outer race, intended to be secured to a second part, and a plurality of balls that each extend in a space provided between the inner race and the outer race. The balls are generally kept spaced apart circumferentially by a cage.
Conventionally, a cage can be produced by molding a synthetic material and may provide a plurality of cells that each form a space for one of the balls.
A drawback that is generally encountered in the production of a cage by molding is the frequent appearance of manufacturing defects, and in particular surface defects, notably on the surfaces that are intended to come into contact with the races or on the surfaces that are intended to come into contact with the balls. These manufacturing defects are all the more frequent the greater the mass of the cage relative to the volume left free between the two races of the bearing.
In order to remedy this drawback, use is generally made of a particular tooling for manufacturing the ball bearing cages that is specific to each cage design. However, such a solution is not entirely satisfactory since it creates an additional manufacturing cost for each ball bearing, this being all the greater the smaller the manufacturing volume.
The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a ball bearing cage that can be manufactured economically and ensures the function of holding the balls of the bearing more effectively.